Wagner: Tristan und Isolde; Zubin Mehta; Rome (1972) Brilioth, Nilsson, Wolff, Nimsgern

Zubin Mehta, RAI Symphony Orchestra of Rome (Recorded 1st February, 1972, Rome) Tristan — Helge Brilioth King Marke — Peter Meven Isolde — Birgit Nilsson Kurwenal — Siegmund Nimsgern Melot — Claudio Strudthoff Brangäne — Beverly Wolff Shepherd — Ennio Buoso Steersman — Wander Bertolini Young Sailor — Gianfranco Pastine =============== After a negative review of a performance at the Teatro dell’Opera under Lovro von Matačić, Luigi Bellingardi in “Opera“ magazine wrote: “To underline the disappointment in this “Tristan“, on February 1st the RAI gave an exemplary concert version of the same work. It was also sung in German, and was conducted by Zubin Mehta with a superb array of singers: Birgit Nilsson, Helge Brilioth, Beverly Wolff, Siegmund Nimsgern, and Peter Meven. What we witnessed at the Opera was definitely a kitsch “Tristan“; the RAI’s was memorable in every way. Mehta, tackling the opera for the first time in his career, conducted from memory and had taken the orchestra through fifteen days of rehearsal. Nilsson was in splendid form, and Brilioth, while not quite possessing the power of the true “Heldentenor“, was outstanding in intonation and phrasing. Mehta spared nothing of his temperament and conducted with a vehemence and nerve-racking lucidity that was almost hallucinatory. Another splendid endeavour of the RAI, therefore, which is all to the credit of Francesco Siciliani, the head of their music section.“ =============== 0:00:00 — Act 1: Prelude 0:10:21 — Act 1: “Westwärts schweift der Blick“ 0:16:02 — Act 1: “Frisch weht der Wind der Heimat zu“ 0:19:43 — Act 1: “Hab’ Acht, Tristan! Botschaft von Isolde“ 0:25:00 — Act 1: “Weh’, ach wehe! Dies zu dulden!“ 0:30:31 — Act 1: “O Wunder! Wo hatt’ ich die Augen?“ 0:36:18 — Act 1: “Welcher Wahn! Welch’ eitles Zürnen!“ 0:44:11 — Act 1: “Auf! Auf! Ihr Frauen!“ 0:51:34 — Act 1: “Herr Tristan trete nah!“ 0:55:07 — Act 1: “Da du so sittsam, mein Herr Tristan“ 1:00:10 — Act 1: “War Morold dir so wert“ 1:07:15 — Act 1: “Auf das Tau! Anker los!“ 1:11:56 — Act 1: “Tristan!“...“Isolde!“ 1:17:16 — Act 2: Prelude 1:19:56 — Act 2: “Hörst du sie noch?“ 1:25:13 — Act 2: “Dem Freund zu Lieb’ erfand diese List“ 1:31:23 — Act 2: “Isolde! Geliebte!“...“Tristan! Geliebter!“ 1:39:11 — Act 2: “O sink’ hernieder, Nacht der Liebe“ 1:44:20 — Act 2: “Einsam wachend in der Nacht“ 1:46:56 — Act 2: “Lausch’, Geliebter!“ 1:53:48 — Act 2: “So starben wir, um ungetrennt“ 2:01:52 — Act 2: “Rette dich, Tristan!“ 2:03:42 — Act 2: “Tatest du’s wirklich?“ 2:10:23 — Act 2: “Dies wundervolle Weib“ 2:15:12 — Act 2: “O König, das kann ich dir nicht sagen“ 2:19:47 — Act 2: “Als für ein fremdes Land“ 2:23:55 — Act 3: Prelude 2:30:35 — Act 3: “Kurwenal! He! Sag’, Kurwenal!“ 2:34:49 — Act 3: “Die alte Weise; — was weckt sie mich?“ 2:40:15 — Act 3: “Dünkt dich das? Ich weiß es anders“ 2:48:07 — Act 3: “Noch losch das Licht nicht aus“ 2:53:01 — Act 3: “Noch ist kein Schiff zu sehn!“ 2:58:46 — Act 3: “Sterbend lag ich stumm im Kahn“ 3:02:46 — Act 3: “Mein Herre! Tristan! Schrecklicher Zauber!“ 3:07:31 — Act 3: “Wie sie selig, hehr und milde“ 3:13:56 — Act 3: “O diese Sonne! Ha, dieser Tag!“ 3:17:12 — Act 3: “Ich bin’s, ich bin’s, süßester Freund!“ 3:22:01 — Act 3: “Kurwenal! Hör’! Ein zweites Schiff“ 3:30:04 — Act 3: “Mild und leise wie er lächelt“ =============== “Tristan und Isolde“ (“Tristan and Isolde“) is an opera in three acts by Richard Wagner, with a German libretto by the composer. The libretto is based on the medieval romance “Tristan“ by Gottfried von Strassburg. It was first performed at the Royal Court and National Theatre in Munich on 10th June, 1865.